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CHAMBER COMMUNIQUé Tourism continues to be a mainstay for Ashland Comment By Katharine Cato, VCB & Marketing Director Ashland Chamber Visitor & Convention Bureau DailyTidings.com By Katharine Cato, VCB & Marketing Director Ashland Chamber Visitor & Convention Bureau Posted Mar. 14, 2016 at 12:01 AM Updated Mar 14, 2016 at 12:27 PM By Katharine Cato, VCB & Marketing Director Ashland Chamber Visitor & Convention Bureau Posted Mar. 14, 2016 at 12:01 AM Updated Mar 14, 2016 at 12:27 PM » Social News Ashland is poised for an exciting, successful visitor season ahead. The Ashland Visitor and Convention Bureau (VCB), Ashland’s destination marketing organization, promotes Ashland and its cultural, culinary and outdoor offerings to many demographics and geographic areas through a strategic marketing plan. Ashland VCB is part of a larger tourism effort that carries the power of a $10.3 billion tourism industry in Oregon, generating 101,000 jobs and indirectly creating 52,500 jobs across the state (www.industry/traveloregon.com). Ashland benefits from aligning with the region and state in terms of how we promote to visitors. By promoting cycling, for example, we tap into the $400 million spent annually by bicycle travelers, a target-rich audience, while we showcase the amazing weather, trails, roads and terrain that both Ashland and Southern Oregon offer. By promoting the wines of our region, we garner recognition such as that of Wine Enthusiast magazine that named Ashland one of the Top 10 Best Wine Destinations in the World in 2016. These are just two examples of products to promote to visitors that are universal not only to our region but statewide when people think of Oregon. What sets Ashland apart as a destination is the cultural experience that complements and often leads a visitor to exploring the culinary and outdoor assets of Ashland. Culture, being Ashland’s cornerstone, is brought to life by performing and visual arts, to music, dance and a town rich in theater and creative history from the Oregon Shakespeare Festival welcoming 70,000 of the 300,000 annual visitors to Ashland, to the Oregon Cabaret and Ashland New Plays Festival, just to name a few. Ashland’s spas and historic wellness roots continue to attract visitors to refresh and relax whether it’s a stroll in Lithia Park or a soak in a tub at a spa. With over 100 amazing restaurants, talented chefs along with our strong connection to farms, food artisans and award-winning breweries, Ashland’s culinary scene is appreciated not only by culinary travelers but by locals and residents alike. Visitors love shopping in Ashland with unique boutiques and retail shops that enhance their Ashland experience and make it memorable. The Ashland VCB has a unique vantage point by being a sounding board for businesses and members of the Ashland Chamber and Ashland’s visitor industry. We listen to challenges, successes and projections from each industry to make quality planning decisions that drive us forward. The Ashland VCB works with groups, tours and conference planners to assist them in planning and hosting conferences that benefits our entire town. We work with the tourism industry and travel writers, building itineraries so they can experience then write about Ashland in feature stories that reach valuable readership. Bookings are looking strong for the year ahead and occupancy in our lodging sector has had a strong start to 2016. Mt. Ashland just successfully hosted the high school state ski races, welcoming hundreds of athletes and families. We received feedback that not only did Mt. Ashland’s team do an excellent job of executing the races and events, but the entire town was welcoming and enhanced their experience. Events are underway with a delicious Oregon Chocolate Festival just completed and the Ashland Independent Film Festival and Taste of Ashland around the corner, in addition to so many others. The Ashland VCB is proud to promote Ashland as a year-round destination and honored to promote the hard-working people and places that make it an unmatched place to visit. Thank you for welcoming our visitors this year as their visits infuse strength into Ashland’s economy that supports the quality of life we all enjoy and strive to preserve. Katharine Flanagan Cato is director of sales, marketing and the Visitors and Convention Bureau for the Ashland Chamber of Commerce. By Katharine Cato, VCB & Marketing Director Ashland Chamber Visitor & Convention Bureau DailyTidings.com By Katharine Cato, VCB & Marketing Director Ashland Chamber Visitor & Convention Bureau Posted Mar. 14, 2016 at 12:01 AM Updated Mar 14, 2016 at 12:27 PM » Comment or view comments Reader Reaction » STAY INFORMED Email NewsLetter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Southern Oregon Directory Featured Businesses Loading... 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